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Napoleon

In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:

Napoleon Bonaparte

Invasion of Russia

Waterloo

Napoleon’s Impact

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Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)came from a family of lower nobilitybut was sympathetic to the ideals of

the French Revolution.

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Power

• Napoleon came to power at the end of the Revolution, when France was still at war.

• Napoleon was a gifted general. Under his command, French armies defeated many enemies.

• In 1799, Napoleon became a dictator of France and eventually crowned himself emperor.

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Napoleon had defeated all of the otherEuropean powers except England, andhad created a French empire covering

much of Europe.

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Napoleon Bonaparte tried to combinethe social reforms of the French Revolution

with his own absolute power.

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United Against Napoleon

• Napoleon’s ambition united Europe against him.

• In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia with an army of half a million men.

• The Russians burned their own crops and buildings as they retreated, depriving the invaders of food and shelter.

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By the time Napoleon reached Moscow,he found the city in ruins, set on fire

by the Russians.

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In bitter winter weather, Napoleon’sarmy retreated. Less than one in tenmen survived the homeward march.

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The Downfall of Napoleon

• After Napoleon’s defeat in Russia, the other European powers combined to overthrow him.

• After invading France, the foreign powers brought the old French royal family back to power in 1814.

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Napoleontried to

recapturethe French

thronein 1815. However,he was

defeated at the Battle

of Waterloo.

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Although Napoleon had ruled France foronly fifteen years, he had an enormousimpact on France and the rest of the world.

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Napoleon’s Impact

• The Code of Napoleon, a law code, favored social equality, religious tolerance, and trial by jury.

• Napoleon introduced the ideas of the French Revolution to the lands he seized.

• French rule encouraged nationalism. Spain lost its Latin American empire.

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Napoleonsold the

LouisianaTerritoryto the United

States in 1803.

He alsoweakened

Spain.

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Questions for Reflection:

• Who was Napoleon Bonaparte and how did he rise to power?

• What were the achievements of Napoleon Bonaparte?

• Why did his invasion of Russia fail?• What was the Battle of Waterloo and what

was its significance?• How did Napoleon’s political career alter

world history?